Creatives need networks, too

One of the few things I love more than writing (besides Star Wars, of course) is talking. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I hold a black belt, Nth degree, certified, licensed, Ph.D. in running my mouth.

Imagine me saying that paragraph above, and there’s your proof.

So yes, I’m absolutely an extrovert. And while extroverts can be creative, research has shown that many creative people are introverts at heart.

As an extrovert, it’s often easy for me to meet new people, make small talk, and find common ground on which to build a working or personal connection. I know that can be much harder for my fellow creatives and artists who are introverts. After all, when you’re perfectly happy with your own thoughts and solitude (which are essential to the creative process), there can admittedly be an internal resistance to meeting new people and trying to force a connection with others.

I struggled, too.

Believe it or not, I get it. I may be a full-on chatterbox in the office, but once I get home I can easily skew more towards periods of isolation and silence (especially when I’m writing or working on my podcast).

Early in my career, I spent a decade as a self-employed journalist. During that time, I worked out of my apartment in New York, then Richmond, Virginia. And those years were often filled with professional isolation, working at my desk for days at a time where the only connection I had to the outside world was through emails or the occasional phone interview.

As I transitioned out of writing for a living, I realized that I had a massive list of professional contacts, yet few of them were people I could call for advice or professional recommendations. Despite years of interviews, editorial feedback, and discussions about copy, I’d failed to make real connections with most of the people I knew professionally.

In short, I had no network to help me pivot into the next stage of my career.

I’ve learned from my mistakes, however. Today, I make a point on building strong relationships with those around me; up, down, and sideways on the corporate ladder, as well as people at other companies and startups whom I like and respect.

“Networking” may feel like a dirty word to many creatives and artists, but it shouldn’t; even if you’re an introvert.

Why bother?

Over the past few years, building a strong network has helped me;

• Land my first speaking engagements at conferences.
• Get interviews for my podcast that I never would’ve landed otherwise.
• Find and bring in highly-qualified people to my employer (folks that have skills similar to mine and whom I now work with daily).
• Develop a reputation as a coach and leader within my organization.
• Find mentors as my own career evolves.
• Get valuable input from others when I face challenges.
• Create win-win solutions to problems in the workplace (much easier to accomplish if you know the other players in the situation).
• Find allies who advocate for me when applying for a new job.
• Build personal, informal connections with colleagues at competitors.
• Leverage ideas and best practices from counterparts in other industries.
• Create opportunities for new collaborations and partnerships.
• And, develop friendships who can serve as a sounding board for my challenges and simply when I need to vent.

Believe it or not, many people in my network are closer to friendships than working colleagues. As I’ve evolved throughout my career, the lines between work and personal life continue to blur (which happens as one moves up in an organization). Members of my professional network are friends that I can have dinner with at a conference, ask to review an article for a website, get candid input regarding vendors and people management issues, and share work frustrations with in ways that I can’t around my spouse or family.

All of which means I absolutely believe networks are helpful. And as professional creatives, building a network of other talented individuals gives you the support network we all too often lack in both our personal and professional lives.

Get Started

I understand taking that first step can be daunting. Putting yourself out there when you’d rather just sit at your desk and listen to Spotify while working can feel akin to finding a prom date. I get it. Really.

But here’s the thing; as artists and creatives, you already speak a common language - creativity. It doesn’t matter if someone else works in a different form of expression or medium. (In fact, that may actually be better!)

Ever notice how easy it often is to open up and talk about your creative work? Your side hustles? Your passion projects? It takes the focus off yourself as a person and puts it on your talents and expression.

So start there. When reaching out to other artists and creatives, use your shared desire to create as the initial common ground. Ask about their creative process. Ask about how they first realized they wanted to do this for a living. Ask about what they like to create outside of work.

Once you get started, you’re off and running. And it’s easier than you think, I promise.

In fact, if you’re still not sure, listen to any episode of my podcast. Most episodes of Head, Heart, and Hustle start with me attempting to connect with a creative individual I’ve never met or spoken to. Take notes, notice I try to get people talking about themselves. It’s pretty easy, to be honest.

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to move up in your career, or if you’re perfectly happy in your current role. Having a network of other professional creatives will make your work life richer, more interesting, and may just help you grow your talents.

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Thanks for reading. If you liked this post check out my podcast about creativity, Head, Heart & Hustle, online or via iTunes. You can also connect with me on Twitter at @MktrAllen.